"One of the last 'Rats of Tobruk' has died in Adelaide, aged 101.
Bill Corey was one of 14,000 Australians who held the Libyan port city of Tobruk against German General Erwin Rommel's forces in 1941.
He was well known for his generosity in speaking at ceremonies and with young people about his experience in World War II.
In 2016, he cut the ribbon to officially open Adelaide's Anzac Centenary Memorial Walk.
"There could not have been a more fitting person to represent the veterans' community at that wonderful occasion," South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said today.
Mr Corey grew up in Riverton, north of Adelaide, and enlisted while living in the Adelaide suburb of Gilberton.
"The uniform made us the same. We got on so well," Mr Corey said in 2017.
He trained at Woodside, in the Adelaide Hills, and then in Palestine before heading to Tobruk in 1941.
In a piece written for the RSL last year, he recalled the huge number of German bombings during the siege.
"Dust or sand storms were another difficulty… it was the same for the enemy as for us," he said.
"On some days there was no movement at all because you couldn't see a thing.
"I remember coming out of my hole to have a wee, walked a couple of yards away then turned around, missed the hole and wandered around for a long time before finding it again (about two hours).
"The water supply improved a bit, but it wasn't ever of good quality, in fact it used to stink when you pulled the cork out of your water bottle."
Mr Corey ended World War II in Borneo before returning to live in Adelaide."www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-10/one-of-last-rats-of-tobruk-bill-corey-dies/10360118

Media

Resources

Members

About US

Welcome to WWII Forums! You are at a gateway to WWII discussion, research, exploration, & analysis. We directly support the repository at WW2.ORG, and several other worthwhile projects that add to the historical record. Join in if you dare!